Cardinal Timothy Dolan says the Catholic Church could have been one of Obamacare’s “cheerleaders” — but some of the mandates, such as the contraception requirements, meant Catholics were “being asked to violate” their beliefs.

Signaling a dramatic shift in Vatican tone, Pope Francis said the Catholic Church had become obsessed by "small-minded rules" about how to be faithful and that pastors should instead emphasize compassion over condemnation when discussing divisive social issues of abortion, gays and contraception.

Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday offered "heartfelt congratulations" to Pope Francis I, "who will lead and guide the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics and serve as a symbol of faith and hope to all." "For Teresa and I, our Catholic faith is a source of strength and comfort every day, from Sunday to Sunday, in moments of difficulty and moments of joy, and an inspiration to act on issues of social justice and global responsibility," he said in a statement. "Teresa and I will keep the Holy Father in our prayers as he begins a new era for our Church.